1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a packaging cushion, more particularly to a packaging cushion for use in packaging electronic products, such as computer modules, or computer housings.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, most electronic products are manufactured through division of labors wherein various components made by different OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) are assembled in an assembly factory into final products for sale. For example, in manufacturing computer modules, computer components (including computer housings, main boards, power modules, electronic cards, disc drives, etc.) are first manufactured in different factories, and are then assembled into computer modules in an assembly factory. Because the production sites where the components are manufactured and assembled can be in different cities or even in different countries, the costs of transportation from a place of manufacture to a place of assembly could constitute an important part of the manufacturing costs.
In order to reduce transportation costs, computer components, such as computer housings, that occupy extra space, are provided with modular or foldable designs so that the quantity of computer components that can be carried in a single cargo container can be increased. However, computer housings must be accompanied by packaging materials, such as paper boxes, Styrofoam, etc., when delivered from manufacturing factories so as to facilitate packaging of the assembled computer modules for delivery to sales points or end users. When packaging materials are also sent from the place of manufacture to the place of assembly, Styrofoam cushion bodies that are commonly used as packaging materials also have the problem of consuming substantial space.
Referring to FIG. 1, Styrofoam cushion bodies 92, 93 used to cushion a computer module 91 are shaped as trays and embrace front and rear ends 911, 912 of the computer module 91. Because the shapes of the cushion bodies 92, 93 are fixed and because a large space is formed between the peripheral portions 921, 931 of the cushion bodies 92, 93, when a number of computers packaged as such are stacked in a cargo container, a lot of space within the cargo container are wasted and cannot be used efficiently.
Therefore, there is a demand for cushion bodies that can be laid flat for the purpose of saving transportation space and that can be changed into a packaging configuration during use.